1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lock-down device for all-terrain vehicles, more specifically to a device for securing the rear tires of an all-terrain vehicle against movement.
2. Description of the Prior Art
All-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) are a popular accessory for many homeowners and outdoor sportsman. The ATVs are often stored in garages and transported on trailers or on the beds of pick-up trucks. These raise two concerns. For one is owners of the ATVs are concerned about security, theft or unauthorized movement of the ATV by others. They are also concerned about movement of the ATV when in a truck bed or trailer while transporting the ATV. To alleviate these concerns, ATV owners seek means to secure an ATV to a floor or to a vehicular bed to prevent any undesired movement, either by unauthorized persons or during transport.
Various devices are currently available that serve one or both of these desires. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,846, issued to Januo on Jun. 11, 1971 for a Safety Locking Block Device for Wheeled Vehicles, discloses a pair of blocks which clamp to the front and rear surfaces of a tire. However, this apparatus provides no means for securing to a floor or vehicle bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,442, issued to Hammer on Dec. 27, 1994 for a Clamp Assembly for a Trailer for Like Wheeled Vehicle, provided for an apparatus that clamped onto the wheel of a trailer or vehicle. However, this apparatus would still permit approximately ¾ rotation of the wheel, which may be unacceptable in transport situations. The apparatus is also unusable on solid wheel rims which are commonly used on ATVs and small tractors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,260, issued to Zimmerman on Jan. 14, 1997 for an Apparatus for Securing a Vehicle to a Trailer, provides an apparatus with two bars that clam around a tire of an ATV and are held in place by a chain. However this mechanism can easily be defeated simply by temporarily deflating the tire and removing the chain.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,839, issued to Thering on Mar. 10, 1998, for a vehicle Locking Means with Wheel Clamps, provides an apparatus similar to a bar clamp which clamps to the outer sides of the wheels of an ATV. This device would permit approximately a ½ rotation of the wheels and cannot be secured to the floor or truck bed.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,255, issued to Lester on Dec. 14, 1999 for an Anti-Theft Device for All-terrain Vehicles. However the entire device must remain in place and creates an obstruction of use of the space occupied by the apparatus.